Sheikh Khalifa Medical City achieves accreditation from Joint Commission International

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JCI is recognized to be a worldwide leader for the improvement of quality in health care.

Joint Commission International's on-site evaluation of SKMC occurred on 6-10 April 2008 and was conducted by a team of international health care experts, including a doctor, nurse, and administrator.

SEHA Managing Director, Saif Al Qubaisi stated that:

'The accreditation process has played a vital role in monitoring health services delivery at our hospitals.'

He emphasized that accreditation status granted from the JCI ensures that SKMC is consistently delivering the highest standards of quality services and has attained a high level of patient satisfaction.

'This is in keeping with our mission to deliver world class healthcare to our patients and our vision to be compared with the best hospitals internationally. SKMC is the fourth of our hospitals to earn JCI accreditation. We are very proud and would like to congratulate the employees at SKMC whose hard work and dedication to excellence helped achieve this honour', Mr Al Qubaisi commented.

Dr. Scott Strong, Acting Chief Executive Officer at SKMC, believes that SKMC achieved JCI accreditation because of the on-going commitment of many professional groups. Their collective and collaborative effort ensures that the delivery of care to SKMC patients is of the highest standard.

The management of SKMC was pleased to receive the accreditation status for the Sheikh Khalifa Medical Pavilion, Surgical Pavilion, and Outpatient Specialty Clinics, which are part of the larger Sheikh Khalifa Medical City that includes the Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center, Behavioral Sciences Pavilion, and Primary Health Care Centers on the Island of Abu Dhabi. Dr Strong emphasized the value of the accreditation process for the organization.

'This form of self-assessment in an organization provides us with an opportunity to appraise our performance against internationally developed standards. The process also allows for an external reviewer to validate our performance and recognize our areas of excellence as well as areas of improvement as we move forward in our planning. The surveyors met and interviewed the Senior Administration and Management of the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City as well as the medical care and supporting committees. Moreover, JCI interviewed patients and their families who were asked about their understanding of the received care, their feelings about the quality of care/service, and their level of understanding of their role in the care and treatment process.'

He further offered that the management of SKMC was pleased with the feedback received from the surveyors about the satisfaction of the patients and their families who were treated at the Medical City. 'It emphasized that our organization is culturally sensitive and patient-centered. Fulfillment of our desire for clinical excellence and exceptional patient care was evidenced by positive patient feedback and outcomes that were measured against international standards', Dr Strong stated.

'Health care organizations around the world want to create environments that focus on quality, safety and continuous improvement,' says Karen Timmons, chief executive officer, Joint Commission International. 'Accreditation meets this demand by stimulating continuous, systematic improvements in an organization's performance and the outcomes of patient care. The community should be proud that SKMC has made a commitment to quality and safety.'

Joint Commission International is dedicated to improving the quality of health care through voluntary accreditation. Joint Commission International's uniform, high standards for patient care and safety are designed to be adaptable to local needs, thus accommodating legal, religious and cultural factors within a country.

Standards focus on the areas that most directly impact patient care. These include access to care, assessment of patients, infection control, patient and family rights, and education. Standards also address facility management and safety, staff qualifications, quality improvement, organizational leadership, and management of information.